Revealed: The 178 Beatles songs Paul McCartney is reclaiming from Sony/ATV

March 20, 2016

Sir Paul McCartney is in the process of reclaiming US publishing rights for a huge chunk of The Beatles’ catalogue from Sony/ATV.

The U.S. Copyright Act of 1976 stipulates that writers of pre-1978 tracks can reclaim their US publishing rights – if they’ve previously signed them away – after 56 years.

That means the publishing rights for McCartney’s share of Beatles songs will begin expiring in 2018 – 56 years after the Fab Four’s first hit, Love Me Do, was penned and recorded in 1962.

Following a Billboard report on Friday (March 18), MBW has trawled the US Copyright Office’s records and discovered that McCartney filed termination notices last year for two batches of Fab Four tracks – ‘All You Need Is Love & 23 Other Titles’, in addition to ‘All Together Now & 32 Other Titles’.

Between them, these filings included hits ranging from Back In The USSR to Helter Skelter, Hey Jude, I Will, Revolution, Yellow Submarine, Get Back and Because. They will expire in 2024 and 2025.

But the story doesn’t stop there.

MBW has also dug through McCartney’s historical records with the US Copyright Office and discovered that the star has actually filed to terminate Sony/ATV’s US publishing rights to more than 170 Beatles songs in total.

McCartney’s first filing for copyright termination came in October 2008, when he filed for Love Me Do – the US publishing rights for which expire on October 5, 2018.

Since then, McCartney has filed a number of additional termination requests for his US publishing share, including a single batch containing no less than 40 compositions in December 2010.

Below, you can see these filings in full (they include a number of repetitions, composition-wise, for variants on the copyright).

The publisher’s share of John Lennon’s contribution to those early Beatles 1962 songs first became eligible for reversion in 1990 following his death ten years earlier.

Sony is this month spending $750m to fully acquire the ATV catalogue first purchased by Michael Jackson for $41.5m in 1985.

Interestingly, this huge set of songs contains worldwide publishing rights to The Beatles songs.

Although Sony/ATV is now set to lose a chunk of these rights to McCartney over the next ten years, it is understood that the publisher will hold on to the rights outside of the US market.

Paul McCartney’s owned copyrights are managed by his own MPL Communications, which in turn is an administration client of Kobalt.

According to Companies House filings McCartney is a minority shareholder in Kobalt Music Group.

Filing: Ballad of John & Yoko & 32 other titles – December 14, 2015 (21 separate compositions referenced) [UPDATE: Please note the first two copyrights here are listed as expiring in 2015, but this is likely to be an error in the filing – the rest all expire in 2025.]

001 Ballad of John & Yoko / Reg. EFO135746 (1969); Termination Effective: 5Jun15.
002 Because / Reg. EU147722 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct15.
003 Because / Reg. EU138427 (1969); Termination Effective: 21Oct25.
004 Carry that weight / Reg. EU147729 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
005 Carry that weight / Reg. EFO138009 (1969); Termination Effective: 17Oct25.
006 Come and get it / Reg. EU152944 (1969); Termination Effective: 5Dec25.
007 Come and get it / Reg. EFO139197 (1969); Termination Effective: 5Dec25.
008 Come together / Reg. EFO138012 (1969); Termination Effective: 2Oct25.
009 Don’t let me down / Reg. EFO134950 (1969); Termination Effective: 23Apr25.
010 The end / Reg. EU147730 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
011 The end / Reg. EFO138010 (1969); Termination Effective: 17Oct25.
012 Get back / Reg. EFO134591 (1969); Termination Effective: 18Apr25.
013 Golden slumbers / Reg. EFO138014 (1969); Termination Effective: 14Oct25.
014 Golden slumbers / Reg. EU147726 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
015 Goodbye / Reg. EFO134032 (1969); Termination Effective: 27Mar25.
016 Her majesty / Reg. EFO138022 (1969); Termination Effective: 14Oct25.
017 Her majesty / Reg. EU147728 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
018 I want you (she’s so heavy) / Reg. EFO138013 (1969); Termination Effective: 13Oct25.
019 I want you (she’s so heavy) / Reg. EU147720 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
020 Maxwell’s silver hammer / Reg. EFO138011 (1969); Termination Effective: 7Oct25.
021 Mean Mr. Mustard / Reg. EFO138650 (1969); Termination Effective: 29Oct25.
022 Oh, darling / Reg. EU147721 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
023 Oh, darling! / Reg. EFO138023 (1969); Termination Effective: 13Oct25.
024 Polythene Pam / Reg. EU147727 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
025 Polythene Pam / Reg. EFO138428 (1969); Termination Effective: 21oct25.
026 She came in through the bathroom window / Reg. EFO138021 (1969); Termination Effective: 14Oct25.
027 She came in through the bathroom window / Reg. EU147723 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
028 Sun king / Reg. EU147724 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
029 Sun king / Reg. EFO138426 (1969); Termination Effective: 21Oct25.
030 Why don’t we do it in the road? / Reg. EU123034 (1969); Termination Effective: 17Jun25.
031 Wild honey pie / Reg. EU118230 (1969); Termination Effective: 10Jun25.
032 You never give me your money / Reg. EU147725 (1969); Termination Effective: 15Oct25.
033 You never give me your money / Reg. EFO138127 (1969); Termination Effective: 23Oct25.

Filing – All Together Now & 32 Other Titles – January 5, 2015 (30 separate compositions referenced)

001 All together now. EFO132348 (1968) Termination effective 13Aug24.
002 Back in the USSR. EFO132183 (1968) Termination effective 29Nov24.
003 Birthday. EFO132195 (1968) Termination effective 09Dec24.
004 Blackbird. EFO132409 (1968) Termination effective 18Dec24.
005 Continuing story of bungalow bill. EFO132187 Termination effective 29Nov24.
006 Cry baby. EFO132184 (1968) Termination effective 29Nov24.
007 Dear Prudence. EFO132181 (1968) Termination effective 25Nov24.
008 Everybodys got something to hide except me and my monkey. EFO132176 (1968) Termination effective 04Dec24.
009 Flying. EFO126065 (1968) Termination effective 01Jan24.
010 Glass onion. EFO132182 (1968) Termination effective 25Nov24.
011 Good night. EFO132180 (1968) Termination effective 25Nov24.
012 Happiness is a warm gun. EFO132185 (1968) Termination effective 29Nov24.
013 Helter skelter. EFO132178 (1968) Termination effective 04Nov24.
014 Hey bulldog. EFO132349 (1968) Termination effective 13Aug24.
015 Hey Jude. EFO130571 (1968) Termination effective 30Aug24.
016 Hey Jude. EFO71915 (1968) Termination effective 03Sep24.
017 Honey pie. EFO132186 (1968) Termination effective 29Nov24.
018 I will. EFO132407 (1968) Termination effective 18Dec24.
019 I’m so tired. EFO132406 (1968) Termination effective 19Dec24.
020 Julia. EFO132194 (1968) Termination effective 09Dec24.
021 Lady Madonna. EFO127498 (1968) Termination effective 06Mar24.
022 Martha my dear. EFO132177 (1968) Termination effective 04Dec24.
023 Mother natures son. EFO132175 (1968) Termination effective 04Dec24.
024 Ob la di ob la da. EFO132179 (1968) Termination effective 25Nov24.
025 Revolution. EFO132184 (1968) Termination effective 29Nov24.
026 Revolution. EFO130590 (1968) Termination effective 04Sep24.
027 Rocky raccoon. EFO132408 (1968) Termination effective 18Dec24.
028 Sexy Sadie. EFO132193 (1968) Termination effective 09Dec24.
029 Step inside love. EFO127500 (1968) Termination effective 15Mar24.
030 Step inside love. EFO129289 (1968) Termination effective 15Mar24.
031 Thingumyob. EFO130589 (1968) Termination effective 20Aug24.
032 Yellow submarine. EFO132348 (1968) Termination effective 13Aug24.
033 Yer blues. EFO132192 (1968) Termination effective 06Dec24.

Filing: All you need is love & 23 other titles – December 26, 2013 (21 separate compositions referenced)

001 All you need is love / EFO122819 (1967) Termination effective 5Jul23.
002 Baby you’re a rich man / EFO123039 (1967) Termination effective 5Jul23.
003 Being for the benefit of Mr. Kite / EFO121846 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
004 Catcall / EFO32369 (1967) Termination effective 30Oct23.
005 Day in the life / EFO121838 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
006 Fixing a hole / EFO121844 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
007 Fool on the hill. EU28889 (1967) Termination effective 8Dec23.
008 Fool on the hill. EFO125935 (1967) Termination effective 20Dec23.
009 Getting better / EFO121839 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
010 Good morning, good morning / EFO121843 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
011 Hello goodbye / EFO125247 (1967) Termination effective 20Nov23.
012 I am the walrus / EFO125663 (1967) Termination effective 29Nov23.
013 Lovely Rita / EFO121845 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
014 Lucy in the sky with diamonds / EFO121847 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
015 Magical mystery tour. EUO28887 (1967) Termination effective 8Dec23.
016 Magical mystery tour/ EFO125932 (1967) Termination effective 15Dec23.
017 Penny Lane / EFO119136 (1967) Termination effective 16Feb23.
018 Sgt. Pepper’s lonely hearts club band / EFO121837 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
019 She’s leaving home / EFO121841 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
020 Stawberry fields forever / EFO119138 (1967) Termination effective 16Feb23.
021 When I’m sixty-four / EFO121840 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
022 With a little help from my friends / EFO121842 (1967) Termination effective 30May23.
023 Your mother should know / EFO28890 (1967) Termination effective 8Dec23.
024 Your mother should know / EFO125933 (1967) Termination effective 15Dec23.

Filing – And Your Bird Can Sing & 24 other titles – December 28, 2012 (17 separate compositions referenced)

001 And your bird can sing. EU94168 (1966) Termination effective 9Jun22.
002 And your bird can sing / EFO115518 (1966) Termination effective 2Aug22.
003 Dr. Robert : a.k.a. Doctor Robert. EU941267 (1966) Termination effective 9Jun22.
004 Dr. Robert : a.k.a. Doctor Robert / EFO115505 (1966) (1966) Termination effective 4Aug22.
005 Eleanor Rigby / EFO115432 (1966) Termination effective 1Aug22.
006 Family way / EFO118375 (1966) Termination effective 22Dec22.
007 For no one / EFO115506 (1966) Termination effective 5Aug22.
008 Good day sunshine / EFO115517 (1966) Termination effective 2Aug22.
009 Got to get you into my life / EFO115690 (1966) Termination effective 9Aug22.
010 Here, there and everywhere / EFO115516 (1966) Termination effective 2Aug22.
011 I’m only sleeping. EU941264 (1966) Termination effective 9Jun22.
012 I’m only sleeping / EFO115519 (1966) Termination effective 2Aug22.
013 Love in the open air / EFO118374 (1966) Termination effective 22Dec22.
014 Michelle. EU937014 (1966) Termination effective 5May22.
015 Paper-back writer. EU941266 (1966) Termination effective 7Jun22.
016 Paperback writer / EFO114981 (1966) Termination effective 6Jun22.
017 Rain / EFO114982 (1966) Termination effective 7Jun22.
018 Rain. EU941265 (1966) Termination effective 7Jun22.
019 She said she said / EFO11504 (1966) Termination effective 4Aug22.
020 Tomorrow never knows / EFO115689 (1966) Termination effective 10Aug22.
021 Woman. EU922868 (1966) Termination effective 1Feb22.
022 Woman / EFO112089 (1966) Termination effective 10Feb22.
023 Yellow submarine / EFO115431 (1966) Termination effective 1Aug22.

Filing: Another Girl & 36 Other Titles – December 27, 2011 (29 separate compositions referenced)

001 Another girl. EU888893 (1965) Termination effective 29Jun21.
002 Another girl / EFO108503 (1965) Termination effective 16Jul21.
003 Auntie gin theme. EU897898 (1965) Termination effective 11Aug21.
004 Day tripper / EFO111026 (1965) Termination effective 29Nov21.
005 Drive my car. EFP111336 (1965) Termination effective 7Dec21.
006 Girl. EFP11762 (1965) Termination effective 20Dec21.
007 Help. EU888892 (1965) Termination effective 29Jun21.
008 Help / EFO108505 (1965) Termination effective 14Jul21.
009 I’m down. EU894008 (1965) Termination effective 19Jul21.
010 I’m looking through you / EFO111394 (1965) Termination effective 16Dec21.
011 I’ve just seen a face / EFO108810 (1965) Termination effective 21Jul21.
012 In my life / EFO111028 (1965) Termination effective 7Dec21.
013 It’s only love / EFO108811.
014 Michelle / EFO111398 (1965) Termination effective 16Dec11.
015 The night before. EU888894 (1965) Termination effective 29Jun21.
016 The night before / EFO108898 (1965) Termination effective 28Jul21.
017 Norwegian wood (this bird has flown) / EFO111817 (1965) Termination effective 2Dec21.
018 Nowhere man / EFO111816 (1965) Termination effective 3Dec21.
019 Run for your life / EFO111396 (1965) Termination effective 16Dec21.
020 Scrambled egg. EU897896 (1965) Termination effective 11Aug21.
021 Tell me what you see. EU893229 (1965) Termination effective 12Jul21.
022 Tell me what you see / EFO108504 (1965) Termination effective 14Jul21.
023 That means a lot. EU893218 (1965) Termination effective 12Oct21.
024 That’s a nice hat : that’s a nice cap. EU897897 (1965) Termination effective 11Aug21.
025 Ticket to ride / EFO106878 (1965) Termination effective 7Apr21.
026 Wait / EFO1113932 (1965) Termination effective 16Dec21.
027 We can work it out. / EFO111764 (1965) Termination effective 2Dec21.
028 What goes on / EFO112293 (1965) Termination effective 20Dec21.
029 The word / EFO111399 (1965) Termination effective 13Dec21.
030 Yes, it is / EFO106875 (1965) Termination effective 7Apr21.
031 Yesterday. EF30816 (1965) Termination effective 21Jul21.
032 Yesterday / EFO108812 (1965) Termination effective 21Jul21.
033 You won’t see me / EFO111761 (1965) Termination effective 20Dec21.
034 You’re going to lose that girl. EU888897 (1965) Termination effective 29Jun21.
035 You’re going to lose that girl / EFO108900 (1965) Termination effective 28Jul21.
036 You’ve got to hide your love away. EU888896 (1965) Termination effective 29Jun21.
037 You’ve got to hide your love away / EFO10899 (1965) Termination effective 28Jul21.

filing: All I’ve Got To Do & 62 Other Titles – December 17, 2010 (40 separate compositions referenced)

001 All I’ve got to do. EP189314 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
002 All I’ve got to do. EP193066 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
003 All my loving. EP190042 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
004 All my loving. EP193065 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
005 And I love her. EF294400 (1964) Termination effective 14Jul20.
006 Anytime at all. EF29401 (1964) Termination effective 17Jul20.
007 Baby’s in black. EU857246 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
008 Baby’s in black / EFO104702 (1964) Termination effective 11Dec20.
009 Can’t buy me love. EF28945 (1964) Termination effective 10Mar20.
010 Can’t buy me love. EP193067 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
011 Eight days a week. EU857250 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
012 Eight days a week / EFO104701 (1964) Termination effective 11Dec20.
013 Every little thing. EU857249 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
014 Every little thing / EFO104704 (1964) Termination effective 11Dec20.
015 Follow the sun : a.k.a. I’ll follow the sun. EU857248 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
016 From a window. EF29404 (1964) Termination effective 15Jul20.
017 A hard days’s night. EF29204 (1964) Termination effective 25Jun20.
018 A hard day’s night. EP193064 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
019 Hold me tight. EP189320 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
020 Hold me tight. EP193069 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
021 I don’t want to see you again / EFO103394 (1964) Termination effective 18Sep20.
022 I don’t want to spoil the party. EU857251 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
023 I don’t want to spoil the party / EFO104703 (1964) Termination effective 11Dec20.
024 I feel fine. EU857245 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
025 I feel fine / EFO104055 (1964) Termination effective 27Nov20.
026 I should have known better. EF29396 (1964) Termination effective 17Jul20.
027 I’ll be back. EF29402 (1964) Termination effective 17Jul20.
028 I’ll cry instead. EF29403 (1964) Termination effective 17Jul20.
029 I’ll follow the sun / EFO104699 (1964) Termination effective 11Dec20.
030 I’ll get you. EP193070 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
031 I’m a loser. EU853541 (1964) Termination effective 28Oct20.
032 I’m a loser / EFO105073 (1964) Termination effective 21Dec20.
033 I’m happy just to dance with you. EF29398 (1964) 17Jul20.
034 If I fell. EF29397 (1964) Termination effective 17Jul20.
035 It won’t be long. EP189318 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
036 It won’t be long. EP193071 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
037 It’s for you. EU836509 (1964) Termination effective 20Jul20.
038 It’s for you. EF29407 (1964) Termination effective 29Jul20.
039 Like dreamers do. EF29102 (1964) Termination effective 11Jun20.
040 Little child. EP189316 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
041 Little child. EP193072 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
042 No reply. EU857247 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
043 No reply/ EFO104700 (1964) Termination effective 11Dec20.
044 Nobody I know. EF29490 (1964) Termination effective 11Jun20.
045 Not a second time. EP188317 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
046 Not a second time. EP193073 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
047 One and one is two. EF29098 (1964) Termination effective 26May20.
048 Ringo’s theme (this boy) EF29264 (1964) Termination effective 24Jul20.
049 She’s a woman. EU857244 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
050 She’s a woman / EFO104248 (1964) Termination effective 30Nov20.
051 Tell me why. EF29399 (1964) Termination effective 10Jul20.
052 Things we said today. EF29250 (1964) Termination effective 7Jul20.
053 This boy. EP189315 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
054 This boy. EP193074 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.
055 What you’re doing. EU857252 (1964) Termination effective 20Nov20.
056 What you’re doing / EFO104539 (1964) Termination effective 8Dec20.
057 When I get home. EF29395 (1964) Termination effective 20Jul20.
058 World without love. EF28963 (1964) Termination effective 5Mar20.
059 World without love. EP189313 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
060 You can’t do that. EF28961 (1964) Termination effective 6Mar20.
061 You can’t do that. EP189311 (1964) Termination effective 1Apr20.
062 You can’t do that. EP193075 (1964) Termination effective 17Aug20.

filing: From Me To You & 12 Other Titles – August 12, 2010 (6 separate compositions referenced)

001 From me to you / EFO-29918 (1963) Termination effective 16Apr19.
002 I saw her standing there. EF28543 (1963) Termination effective 9May19.
003 I wanna be your man / EFO-96247 (1963) Termination effective 11Nov19.
004 I wanna be your man. EU808235 (1964) Termination effective 7Jan20.
005 I wanna be your man. EP187785 (1964) Termination effective 7Apr20.
006 Misery / EFO-9146 (1963) Termination effective 27Mar19.
007 Misery. EU793744 (1963) Termination effective 20Sep19.
008 Misery. EP187784 (1964) Termination effective 7Aug20.
009 She loves you / EFO-94632 (1963) Termination effective 9Aug19.
010 She loves you. EP185275 (1964) Termination effective 12Feb20.
011 She loves you. EP185352 (1964) Termination effective 11Mar20.
012 There’s a place. EU808205 (1964) Termination effective 15Jan20.
013 There’s a place. EP187783 (1964) Termination effective 7Apr20.

filing: Bad To Me & 9 Other Titles – November 30, 2009 (10 separate compositions referenced)

001 Bad to me. PA 568-663 (1963) Termination effective 18Nov19.
002 Do you want to know a secret? / EFO 92297 (1963) Termination effective 26Apr19.
003 Hello, little girl / EFO 95128 (1963) Termination effective 23Aug19.
004 I call your name / EFO 95799 (1963) Termination effective 26Jul19.
005 I’ll be on my way. PA 568-656 (1963) Termination effective 30Jun19.
006 I’ll get you / EFO 94631 (1963) Termination effective 9Aug19.
007 I’ll keep you satisfied. PA 568-662 (1963) Termination effective 18Nov19.
008 I’m in love. EF29714 (1963) Termination effective 18Nov19.
009 Love of the loved / EFO-95513 (1963) Termination effective 4Oct19.
010 Tip of my tongue. EFO 94569 (1963) Termination effective 8Aug19.

Other filings / tracks (4 separate compositions referenced)

I Want To Hold Your Hand (Songs Of Universal & Sony/ATV named). Filed: November 30, 2009). Copyright: 1963. Termination effective: 20 Nov 19.
P.S. I love you. (Beechwood Music & Sony/ATV named). Filed: December 3, 2009. Copyright: 1963. Termination effective: 26 Nov 19.
Thank you girl. (Conrad Music & Sony/ATV named). Filed: August 7, 2009. Copyright: 1963. Termination effective 2 Aug 19.
Love me do (Beechwood Music named). Filed: October 15 2008. Copyright: 1962. Termination effective 5 Oct 18.

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